Discover Your Soul's Path to GodSample

In the context of a true faith, religious practices and rituals can be a powerful force for good—a friend, not an enemy, of a rich and growing relationship with God.

For all our suspicion of religious practices, we must remember that God invented (and at times commanded) much of them. Many New Testament figures observed religious rituals as well, teaching us that religion still has a place in our worship, even though the substance of Christianity is based on faith. If Jesus saw the need for regular, formal worship, how much more should we! These New Testament figures made it clear that no one will be saved through religion alone, but they also showed, by their example, that Christians can be nourished by certain religious practices.

Religious observances can be lifeless rituals or life-altering encounters, depending on how we approach them. We may find that God can fill our celebrations with a power we never knew existed.

Meditating on Scripture is an important source of nourishment for any Christian, but especially for the traditionalist. Certain scriptural rituals—reading Scripture aloud, praying through the Psalms, or the discipline of reading the Bible first thing in the morning and last thing in the evening, can add new meaning to an old practice.

Another practice is to celebrate the Christian calendar. Christianity is based on God breaking into the physical world, most noticeably in the incarnation; the birth of Christ. Remembering these events throughout the year can affirm that our spiritual worship is historically based, and the Christian calendar can remind us of those we might otherwise forget or diminish.

To bring structure to prayer, many Christians have found it helpful to establish a “rule” or “habit” of prayer. New Christians often need more guidance than the popular “just talk to God and tell him what’s on your heart” to learn how to pray properly. Praying according to a model can teach a Christian to pray appropriately—with adoration, thanksgiving, and confession melded together with intercession.

Symbols, associated with a spiritual principle, can help us preserve a “moral memory” that is essential to right living. Symbols have nothing to do with saving us, but just because we’re saved doesn’t mean we don’t need reminders to live holy lives. Symbols can be used as potent ushers into God’s presence and reality.

Sacrifice is at the heart of Christianity. Those who want to identify with their Lord, who gave the supreme sacrifice, must understand this. Sacrifice keeps our idealized and often romantic expressions of divine adoration rooted in reality. Worship must not be reduced to mere emotional expression, for Christianity calls us to a commitment of the will. Faith today is often seen as a tool to get something special from God. Historically, a man or woman of faith is one who was willing to give something precious to God. When the traditionalist incorporates the idea of sacrifice into his or her daily life, a key component of Christianity is modeled and preserved.

Traditionalists must remember that God, not religion, is sacred. No symbol or ritual has absolute value in itself. The state of the human heart determines whether a symbol or ritual, nurtured by the truth they represent, will strengthen your faith.

Respond 

What makes a religious practice an expression of worship or a meaningless activity?

In what ways might rituals, meditation on Scripture, celebrating the Christians calendar, structured prayer, Christian symbols, and sacrifice strengthen your faith? 

What can you do to incorporate a meaningful tradition into your daily walk with God?